


The Green Desert

by Valkyria99



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: African empire, Beauty - Freeform, Flower market, M/M, Old Age, merchants, vendors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 14:58:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10721658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valkyria99/pseuds/Valkyria99
Summary: Ronan and Gangsey are sons of influential English merchants based in Florence. Gangsey bored of city life decides to venture on an adventure through the old world and Ronan tags along. They end up in the old Kingdom of Mali in Africa were Ronan meets A flower boy.





	The Green Desert

Ronan saw him the first time he passed through the open market in the old town of Timbuktu. Gangsey had sent him to pick up papyrus and some ink so he could write devoted love letters to the daughter of an influential oracle that he had fallen in love with. 

The one-sided infatuation was the reason behind their delay in the city of Timbuktu.  
When presented by the great merchant called Grey for his dear friend's daughter Gangsey had fallen fast and hard for the headstrong beauty called Blue. The Merchant Grey had as both Ronan and Gangsey been traveling through the city looking for a place rest when he stumbled upon the oracle and her sister's. He had decided to accept their hospitality and stay for the night. Now he had lived here for over two years and started a business imperium trading with the north Saharans devoted to his dear Oracle. 

Ronan was afraid that the same fate would fall upon Gangsey. He had no thoughts of leaving his closest friend in a strange kingdom where his he had no loyalties yet but he also did not find the place as appealing as Grey and Gangsey did. The warmth was unbearable and the strong desert sun burned Ronan's skin beyond recognition, he was forced to cover up all of his skin to protect himself from the sun when in reality all he wanted was to shed the clothes and to bathe in a cold creek. He had barely tolerated the sun of Florence.

He missed England for the memories it held but he also missed Florence for the people residing there. He felt isolated being so far from his only remaining family, the two brother's he had left behind. The youngest Mathew who was full of laughter and happiness he missed the most but he also missed his oldest brother Declan even though all they had done was fight. he almost regretted it, what he wouldn't do to hear Mathews laugh or to argue with Declan. Sending and receiving letters was not enough and Ronan was grabbed by this overwhelming homesickness that colored his every interaction.

Gangsey had commented on his sulking. Ronan had always been short tempered but it was worse now, even he noticed it. When meeting the oracle, her sister's and the daughter that had enticed Gangsey Ronan had incredibly rude. He almost regretted it but he could not let Gangsey give up his obligations and stay here with the daughter of some hedonistic oracle. And he did simply not have it in him to endure the heat anymore.

He was covered in cloth from head to toe, much like the merchants walking around the bustling market. The smell of spices and perfumes were strong. Siden clothed women hung over tents trying to sell their most beautiful cloth to the men walking by. The sun was setting far of on what seemed like a horizon devoid of anything but golden sand. Not many vendors tried to get his attention, perhaps because of the way his ice blue eyes flashed with annoyance or the hurried way he walked through the market, unlike the other shoppers who walked languid slowness.

After acquiring all that he needed he wandered for a while, trying to find a place to rest and drink some coffee. In some hidden corner where he could observe or glare threateningly at the people passing. That's when he walked by a vendor selling the most exquisite flowers Ronan ever had witnessed. The colors of the flowers were so vivid it almost drained the surrounding of its color. Big petals in every possible form with juicy green leafs guarding their secrets stood all over the dais. But it was not the flowers that were most outstanding with their beauty but the man standing behind the dais of flowers. Tall and gaunt he almost looked starved but that didn't hinder his beauty. His clothes of simplest cotton hanging most elegantly from his protruding shoulder blades. His face had the smoothest complexion with features as if someone had carved his bones with the greatest detail before covering it in the smooth beautiful skin that Ronan painstakingly wanted to touch.

**Author's Note:**

> First fic ever, I drew som inspiration from the history of Mansa Musa and the great kingdom of Mali as well as Florence the city of merchant's. Some of the details (especially of the market are from my own fantasy) so the historical accuracy is not a 100% but it's backed by a little history :) Hope you liked it


End file.
